2019 SGFA Cup Final
The 2019 SGFA Cup Final was the 39th final of the SGFA Cup, the main domestic knockout cup competition in Gregorian football. The match was played at the National Cricket Ground in Warner Bay on May 19, 2019, between New Castle and Bonneville United. Bonneville United won the match 3-2, with three goals by Chase Morton making him the first player to record a hat-trick in an SGFA Cup Final since his father, Andy Morton, completed the same feat in 1994 (ironically against Bonneville United); Gabriel DeJesús Villalba and Finley Freitas scored for New Castle. It was Bonneville United's 7th SGFA Cup title, breaking their tie with FC Chapman for most all-time. By winning the match, Bonneville United also qualified for the 2020 CONCACAF Champions League. They were already eligible for the 2020 CONCACAF Liga América tournament, having finished second in the 2018-19 League A season. Thus, the allocated place in Liga América was awarded to the third-place team from League A, RivalSport. The game marked the first-ever SGFA Cup Final meeting between local rivals New Castle and Bonneville United, the two teams who contest the Bonneville derby. The teams had previously combined for 9 Cup final victories (6 for United, 3 for New Castle). Road to the final New Castle As members of League A, New Castle entered the Cup tournament at the third round where they were drawn away at League B side Eventide. New Castle won 4-1 on goals by Collin Hogan, Gaston Piarrou, Chad Burke and Finley Freitas. In the fourth round, they once again drew an away match against a League B side, this time at Crusaders where they won 3-1 with goals by Piarrou, Kojo Wembley and Burke. In the quarter-finals, they faced fellow League A side and defending SGFA Cup champions Helena United at Redfield, where they won 1-0 on a second-half strike by Ömer Kapancıgil. In the semi-final at neutral Trinity Park in Otway, New Castle defeated FC Chapman in a penalty shootout following a 2-2 draw in normal time; Jeremy Monier and Gabriel DeJesús Villalba scored for New Castle in the game, and goalkeeper Logan Read saved Reinhard Bürger's penalty in the shootout to help the Reds reach the final. It will be New Castle's seventh appearance in the SGFA Cup Final and the first since 2013, when they were beaten by Independence on penalties. Their last final victory was in 2011 when they defeated Midland International. Bonneville United Also members of League A, Bonneville United also entered the Cup in the third round where they were drawn away at League B side Bay View Energy. United won 4-0 with all four goals coming in the final 15 minutes of the game: Two goals (one from the penalty spot) by Andrés Guzmán and one each from Ethan Delaney and Kane O'Bray (the latter also a penalty). In the fourth round, they were drawn at home to face fellow League A contenders RivalSport Warner Bay, where they won 3-1 with goals from Pierrick Miechamp, Guzmán and Joaquín Chávez. In the quarter-finals, they faced Swifton Athletic at Ford Stadium in a rematch of the 2016 final; United won 3-0 on an O'Bray goal and a brace by Mason Stratton. The semi-final against Independence was played at neutral Barry Park in Zane Hills, where United won 2-0 with goals from Thierry Kanta Kisombo and Guzmán. This is United's 11th trip to the SGFA Cup Final and the third in the previous four seasons; they defeated Swifton Athletic 4-1 in 2016 and were beaten on penalties by Rivergate in 2017. Match Team selection Both teams started their second-string goalkeepers. After battling a back injury throughout the season, Brendan Egan could not pass pre-match fitness for Bonneville United and was ruled out; 20-year-old Radek Nazarian started in his place, with Jeremiah Ferguson named on the bench. For New Castle, Logan Read was named in goal after starting in the Reds' previous Cup matches; Jeff Street, the team's usual first choice, started on the bench. Attendance The announced crowd of 39,942 was a record attendance for the National Cricket Ground. Details Freitas |goals2 = Morton , , |stadium = National Cricket Ground, Warner Bay|attendance = 39,942}} Category:Match pages Category:2018-19 in Gregorian football